


Q is for Quignogs

by Psychodelikas



Series: The Alphabet of Dreams [18]
Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Energivore 101, F/F, F/M, Paranoid Vala is Paranoid, Vala is in charge, Zane is Having the Time of Her Life, like literally - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2019-03-14 17:41:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13595088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Psychodelikas/pseuds/Psychodelikas
Summary: Obviously, Zanthe was the only one flourishing during all that time. Her relationship with James was slowly but steadily progressing towards something really good for my best friend in the whole wide world. She was visibly changing and didn’t always look so tired. But most importantly, she was constantly smiling and happy. I myself couldn’t have been more happy and proud of her! On the outside, anyway.





	Q is for Quignogs

**Author's Note:**

> Quignogs: An old Cornish word for pipedreams, or ridiculous thoughts or ideas.

Right after lunch, it was Zane who suggested we all check on the former owner’s progress. And she had emphasized on _former_ owner. Because I was still afraid of her murderous potential, I had let that one slide.

“How far do you think Jared made it?” Zane asked as we climbed the spiral steps.

“If there’s anything right in this world, not far at all,” I answered. We reached the top and the runes on the frame glowed brightly then the door was opened, as usual.

“Then prepare for a huge disappointment,” Sarah said as she, Zane, James and I entered the circular library. “That man has a talent for getting himself out of even the most life-threatening situations.”

“As some of us know better than most,” James added with half a smirk.

I turned to look at him. “As some of us know better than most,” I mocked his words.

“Guys…” Zane called.

We gathered around her. I gasped stunned at the sight before my eyes. “But that’s not fair!” I whined. Instead of a ghost-white sea, all there was to look at was a grey surface.

“No, it isn’t,” Sarah agreed, “but that’s how life works.”

“Why can’t it ever be unfair in my favor?” I protested.

“Well, look at it this way, Vala,” Zane put in. “You now have all the time you need in order to prepare for your final exam.”

“Exam?” I repeated. “Exam?! Zane, are you out of your tiny, little mind? How the hell do you imagine I’ll be able to concentrate with everything that’s going on? Oh, shoot…” I exclaimed.

“What?” my best friend asked.

“I just remembered when my exam’s due.”

“When?”

“The twenty-first.”[1]

“But that’s plenty of time!”

I pressed my lips into a line at her. “Oh, yeah?” I challenged. “And pray tell, how are _you_ going to fare in _your_ exams given all that you’ve learned today alone?”

Zanthe opened her mouth to no doubt give me a witty reply but no words ever came out. Instead, she eyed me as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine,” she conceded with half a mouth. “I suppose I _do_ want to finish and that means I have to actually study… unfortunately…” Then her lips curved into a smirk. “But the same goes for you, my dear Vala.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What?”

“Well, if I fail any exam, I can always re-take it. _You_ on the other hand, don’t have that luxury.” Her smirk widened. “You’re gonna have to study just as hard – if not harder than me!”

I wanted to whine again but then the evilest of thoughts formed in my head. I mimicked my best friend and crossed my arms over my chest. “Actually, dearest Zane,” I said sweetly, “I don’t have to do shit for at least another week.” I grinned widely. _“You_ on the other hand, have your very first exam in just two days, if memory serves right.

_Discovering a magical land? One thousand euros. Sending Jared to God knows where? Five thousand euros. Seeing the look on Zanthe’s face as I beat her at her own evil game? Priceless._ But I would owe my life to James Walker for using his powers at that moment to keep my best friend from remembering the strong and fatal emotions she had had towards me not even two hours previous.

“Oh, no, you don’t!”

We all turned stunned towards the grumpy voice’s source but Timotheus would have none of it. “I’ll have no more of this talk of leaving!” he declared as he hooked his hands in his hips. “Jared may have been a pain in my rear but he was a damn good manager. Now I don’t care what anyone has to say.” He pointed right at me. “YOU, young lady, have extremely huge shoes to fill, and you’re gonna start filling them now!”

_Holy crap, I am SO glad the shoe owner did not hear that one! Wait…_

“SHUT UP, ZANE!” I immediately yelled at her before she could utter one word, pointing my index finger at the blonde girl and making her laugh her pretty little head off.

But Timo was something else entirely. For the rest of the day, he had more or less made me move into Jared’s study and essentially, take the reins. And man oh, man, it was indescribably complicated to keep track of all the people coming and going. I had to check the available rooms on a regular basis then make sure it fitted the supernaturals in questions, otherwise they’d have to wait until the rooms best suited for their species became available. It had been no small shock to learn that each species required different types of lodgings!

The most annoying part was the constant sound of the phone ringing. I was smack in the middle of everything and _still_ I could not comprehend what the hell was so fascinating about the castle that made supernaturals call on an hourly basis! Oh, and of course the birthday planning… There actually was a ledger with the names of all who would turn twenty-five along with their address, telephone number and email! Timotheus made me call the people programmed for June first. I tried very hard to focus on what those persons wanted for their special day (and write it down!) and not curse the dwarf in any way I knew how for making me do that.

By the time Sunday evening arrived, I was already sleep deprived, having spent the entire weekend with castle business. I had no idea how Jared did it but I was firmly convinced he had some sort of time machine at his disposal. However, I had my own limits. That night, I informed Timo that I was done and heading to bed. To my surprise, he didn’t say one word of protest and I finally had a full night’s sleep.

_“Vala? Vala? Valaria Straits, wake up!”_

I jerked awake with half a snore. The sun’s bright light blinded me so I had to cover my eyes with my hands. “Zane?” I mumbled still half asleep. “Urgh, what time is it?”

“It’s noon,” I heard her answer amused.

I slowly let my hands down. “Noon?” I repeated confused. My sight was blurry but it quickly returned to normal. Zane was smiling at me from her spot on my bed. “I must’ve slept in…”

“Yeah, you did,” my best friend agreed. “But here’s the funny part.” She grinned. “It’s already Tuesday.”

All traces of sleep vanished. “What?” I exclaimed.

“I gotta tell ya, you play the part of Sleeping Beauty quite nicely.”

“This isn’t funny, Zane!” I scolded her though a chuckle escaped my lips. “It can’t be Tuesday! Last night was Sunday.”

“Correction,” she interrupted me. “Two nights ago was Sunday.”

I stared at her with my eyes wide. _She’s not kidding!_ “I slept an entire day?”

“Yep. But from what Timo told me, I’m surprised you didn’t just collapse in your chair.”

“Shut up, Zane,” I told her flatly. I sighed. “Okay, what did I miss? Oh! How was your exam?”

“Urgh! A complete nightmare!” she exclaimed dramatically as she let herself fall on the bed. “I swear, it’s like they _want_ you to fail so they come up with the most idiotic questions and demands possible. Oh, and give you shit time to solve everything.”

“That bad?”

“Dude, I had to complete a drawing with a snippet of a photo to go from, answer five history of art questions _and_ solve a ridiculous geometry problem in three hours or less! The picture was _this_ big” – she held her index and thumb close to her eye – “and I had to draw on a friggin’ fifty-five by fifty canvas out of a fifty by seventy paper!”

“And did you do everything?”

“Oh, _pfffff!”_ she puffed amused, waving her hand in front of her. “Don’t be ridiculous. I did the stupid drawing and that was that. Oh. But the questions were multiple choice so I just winged it.”

I let out a throaty laugh. “So…semi-pass?”

“Depends if whoever gets my paper likes my thick lines,” she laughed. “Technically speaking, we’re supposed to draw very gentle lines and only use thick ones when we’re required to accentuate something in particular,” she explained in answer to my puzzled look. “I can never do that.”

I grinned widely. “You like ‘em thick, don’t you, Zane?”

“And you like ‘em extremely huge, don’t you, Vala? Argh!” she yelped amused as I crashed my pillow over her face.

“I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!” I chanted as I made that pillow hit every part of her.

“Me too! Me too! Me too!” she responded laughing, holding her arms over her face.

I hit her a few more times before finally putting the pillow away.

Zane giggled then straightened her back. “So do you wanna see what Jared’s been doing all this time?”

“Hell, yes!”

I rarely dressed that fast but it was a special occasion. I did notice that I felt strangely invigorated but after twenty-four hours of sleep, that didn’t surprise me.

“By the way!” Zane said as we headed for the library then punched me in the arm.

“Ouch!” I exclaimed stunned and in pain, massaging my arm. “What the hell was that for?!”

“For locking me out!” she explained. “I couldn’t get anywhere near the tower to see how Jared was doing.”

“Really?” I asked surprised. “That’s odd…”

“You mean, you _didn’t_ have anything to do with it?”

“I’ve been neck-deep in calls and appointments and birthdays and hotel manager all weekend, Zane,” I scolded her. “I barely had time to pee much less give the castle orders to keep you out. Although now that you’ve mentioned it…”

“Don’t even think about it, Vala!”

I laughed at the look on her face. “But I think the castle decided it wasn’t right for you to be able to use the library when even I couldn’t,” I added as I opened the first rune door.

“Didn’t think of that,” the blonde girl admitted then frowned confused. “But why would the castle do that? I mean, it’s not like it doesn’t already know I’m trustworthy.”

“Hmm,” I exclaimed thoughtful. “Jared did tell me that only very few people ever get to see the library. And last time, you, James and Sarah were there with me. What with me being temporarily in charge and everything, maybe the castle decided too many changes happened over too short a period of time and…what?” I demanded at the grin on my best friend’s face.

“Someone’s learned quite a lot lately,” she teased.

“Shut up, Zane,” I laughed as I opened the second rune door.

The library was exactly as we had left it. The fluffy rug was still in the place Sarah had tossed it…and to my extreme disappointment, the mirror was still opaque. “Oh, come on!” I yelled at the grey lid. “It’s been three days already. Why can’t I see anything?”

“Maybe it’s some sort of safeguard?” Zane put in.

“How do you mean?”

“Maybe this is either Jared’s or the castle’s way of making sure nobody sees how Mr. Korrick is tested?”

“Huh,” I exclaimed thoughtful. “That could work…but it still doesn’t make sense. I should be able to see.”

Zane gasped softly. “You, yes,” she agreed. “What if doesn’t work while there’s someone with you?”

“I was with Sarah the first time it worked.”

“Then James and I barged in and it has remained dark since.”

“Ha!” I cried. “I knew this was all your fault and now I finally have proof!”

“Screw you, Vala!”

But we laughed to our hearts’ content just the same. “Come on,” I chuckled. “Help me put everything back.”

First, she stuck her tongue out at me then she helped carry the rug.

“Speaking of James,” I teased, grinning widely as we set the fluffy thing over the mirror. “How are things between the two of you?”

“They’re, they’re,” Zane mumbled then smiled silly. “They’re actually pretty damn good.”

“Whoa,” I chuckled. “You’re serious.”

“Believe me, I’m more shocked than you are. But after you almost killed me!” – I smiled innocently at her – “Let’s just say that I, I, I’m not feeling quite so tense around him. At all. Not even a little bit.”

“Zane, I’m so happy for you!” I said sincerely as I took two of the pillows then threw them in the pen.

“Thank you,” she said silly, holding a round pillow tightly. “Sometimes, I think I’m dreaming because nobody that amazing could possibly be interested in me in real life.”

“Believe me, I know what you mean,” I said as I threw two more pillows. “Here’s the good part. You’re not dreaming.”

“Don’t I know it,” Zanthe told the cushion with the wickedest of grins.

I smiled at her. “Why, Zane,” I teased. “Did something happen while I was asleep?”

“Not even close to what you were thinking,” she replied as she finally let the cushion go. “But…”

“Oooooh!” I cooed. I slid down on the rug then crossed my legs.

“But,” Zane repeated, sitting down across from me, “we did sleep together.”

“YOU WHAT?!” I shouted.

“Without the sex!” she quickly added, laughing a little too hard. “We just literally slept in the same bed, that’s all.”

“How?”

“While you were busy working, I was busy studying. We both know there’s only so much energy I have for that so James decided to help me. Lemme tell ya, the instant I felt sleepy or bored, that son of a bitch knew exactly what kind of energy to give me then I found myself spending two hours on how best to draw a friggin’ chair!”

“Damn,” I remarked impressed. “Where was he when I needed him back in college?”

“Right?” Zane laughed. “So everything goes exactly according to plan, I actually study for once in my life and then the flippin’ exam drained every last bit of energy James had carefully given me over the course of two days. I. Was. Dead! He had to forcefully keep me awake just so I could drink water, for cryin’ out loud.”

“Dude, were you that stressed?” I asked concerned.

“Clearly, yeah. Though it sure didn’t feel like it at the time. I was more stressed out James would pick up on some feelings I had towards him he should never know exist.”

“He can do that?”

“Oh, yeah! Besides energy, he can control people’s _emotions_ as well as accurately tell what a person’s feeling at any given moment. That’s why the supernaturals make fun of energivores and call them emo vamps because they’re so in tune with well, everyone’s feelings.”

“Poor guy,” I chuckled. “But I still don’t see how –”

“I’m getting there,” she interrupted me amused. “So there I was, barely able to keep my eyes open when I beg James to just let me sleep on the sidewalk. The next thing I know, I wake up in his arms in a bedroom I’ve never seen in my life. Turns out, it was his room here, in the castle. Boy, does he have a sweet room!”

“Though not as sweet as his arms, right?” I asked. I saw the pillow before she threw it and still it managed to hit me in the face. “Speaking of which!” I added. “Where you wearing the same clothes as when you came in? What about him? Does James like to sleep in the nude or – ouch!”

That time, Zane had been too fast and I really didn’t see the cushion until it was right on my nose. “I was fully dressed, thank you very much,” she replied half mockingly, half amused. “Except…” She sighed at the wide grin which lit my face. “Except I had no pants on.”

“Ooooh! And James?”

“…no shirt.”

_“Oh, là, là!”_

“Ooooh, you have no idea! Wait… _Shut up, Vala!”_

Too late. I burst into laughter.

“So how long do you think Jared’s gonna be gone for?” Zane asked after I calmed down.

“Oh, no, you don’t!” I told her. “You’re not changing the subject so fast. Go on, what else happened?”

She growled annoyed and happy at the same time. “Nothing, okay? Nothing else happened. You know, besides the fact that I almost died when I woke up next to him and James declaring that he’d take me out on a date to compensate for the awkwardness so that we may get to know each other better.”

“Holy shit! When?”

“…tonight?”

“And what the hell are we still doing here?! Come on! We’ve gotta make you human for the best date of your life!”

“FUCK YOU, VALA!”

And made her human I did. It had been the best kind of revenge to put Zanthe through the hell she had put me through when I had had to prepare for my birthday. I made Zane try out every single item of clothing which had magically appeared in her closet during her stay at the castle. Shock didn’t even began to cover the look on both our faces when we saw just how many not necessarily sexy but appealing clothes there were in that closet.

Each and every single whine and protest had been worth it when I saw the look on James Walker’s face that night. His greedy little eyes took in every inch of Zane’s form fitting blouse which went pass her thighs and tight, black leggings which melted into her knee-high boots. Thanks to her insane amount of blushing, she also had color in her cheeks which combined with her golden hair, made her look damn appealing! Not that James himself didn’t turn more than a few heads with his simple jacket, white shirt and jeans.

With a final and loving, “I am going to kill you until you’re so dead, you can’t be alive, Vala!” Zane embarked on her no doubt magnificent date with an energivore. I checked my will was in order, just in case.

Naturally, the first thing I did after was to head for the library. I was convinced the mirror had gone back to normal. Never before had I been so wrong in all my life. The damned device stubbornly showed me a clear grey disc instead of Jared’s progress in the labyrinth. Having nothing better to do, I focused on a little work for a few hours then went to bed discontented.

When five full days passed without as much as change in shade, I was forced to admit that something was going on which nobody was allowed to see. As was to be expected, the most insane of scenarios went through my head.

Jared was in way over his head so of course it took longer for him to see the error of his ways.

Jared had already seen the error of his ways and had decided that he either didn’t want to come back to the castle at all or didn’t want to return any time soon.

Something unexpected had happened to him which prevented him from completing his task.

Nothing unexpected had happened to him and he just didn’t want to do anything but stay all day in the sun.

Jared had met the woman of his dreams and had fled with her to begin their lives as husband and wife.

_Okay, I gotta tone down the insecure paranoia, there. I mean, the guy basically said he…_

I gasped as another driver’s angry honk brought me back to reality. I realized the light had turned green so I continued on my way home.

“Well, look who remembered she has a home,” mother greeted me cordially from the kitchen doorway after I parked my car.

“Nice to see you too, mom,” I replied sweetly.

“Not that I’m complaining but what are you doing here so early in the day?”

_Well, mother, after a week of no news from the most annoying man on the face of the planet, I’ve decided I need some me time and maybe do some studying if I wanna finish with my stupid master._ “I got homesick,” I said truthfully, a small smile playing at my lips. Kyra barged out the door at that precise moment and I glued her to me. “Ooooh, I’ve missed you, my sweet girl!”

Mom laughed and shook her head at us then resumed her preparing of lunch. Until food was ready, I played with my baby, more than happy to forget about everything even for a little while. To my surprise, I managed to study a little bit that evening but only a little. My head was still too full of the past week’s strange events for me to focus for a longer period of time.

Obviously, Zanthe was the only one flourishing during all that time. Her relationship with James was slowly but steadily progressing towards something really good for my best friend in the whole wide world. She was visibly changing and didn’t always look so tired. But most importantly, she was constantly smiling and happy. I myself couldn’t have been more happy and proud of her! On the outside, anyway.

On the inside, I was more than a little jealous. My stupid final exam was coming up fast and the only thing I could obsess over was the fact that the only man who had confessed he loved me was gone. My dreams had stopped again which soured my mood further. It really wasn’t fair. I was happy for Zane without a doubt but I was also a little angry that she got everything she wanted while I was left out to dry.

While Zane was oblivious to my true feelings, James wasn’t fooled in the slightest. It came as very small a surprise when he requested an official audience with me nine days after Jared’s temporary discharge.

“So how can I be of help today, Mr. Walker?” I began as I sat down behind the desk in Jared’s study. I had felt it was the best room in the castle for whatever the energivore wanted to talk about.

James laughed as he sat himself in one of the armchairs. “For one thing, dropping the formalities,” he said then grew serious. “I requested this meeting in the hopes that _I_ might help you.”

I had expected as much but my heart skipped a beat nonetheless. “I appreciate your intentions, James.” I shrugged. “I’m fine, I really don’t see what –”

“Vala, you know very well you can’t hide your emotions from me,” he cut me off gently. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Please, don’t misunderstand me. I don’t want to use my powers on you, I simply wish to talk.”

“Oh, really?” I scoffed. “Talk? Okay, James. Can you please tell me why one minute, I have everything I’ve ever dreamed of having, then the next minute, it’s all gone?”

“Actually, I can.” His answer caught me completely off guard and I just stared at him stupidly. He smiled. “What I’m gonna say next won’t sit well with you yet you must hear it. It’s all your fault.”

“I beg your pardon?!”

“You didn’t just punish Jared, you made him face his worst enemy. Himself. A task such as that isn’t solved in a day or two. Apart from Sarah, you know better than all of us how complicated Jared is. And you’ve made him do the one thing he never thought he would. Take a good, long look in the mirror and decide if what’s looking back at him is the man he wants to be.”

_Holy shit… Wait, does this mean he really did look and decided that the man looking back isn’t what he wants for me? Could he really love me_ that _much?!_

The corners of James’ lips curved into a smile. “You understand,” he stated. “I can feel you do. It’s all right, Vala. Tried as he might, Jared couldn’t hide his feelings for you from me either. Believe me when I say, when he gets back, you’ll be surprised at what’s in store for your future together.”

And just like that, the energivore bowed his head before me. By some miracle, I managed to do the same then he took his leave. 

I exhaled loudly, almost screaming then covered my mouth with both hands. I was shocked to my core about everything I had learned over the course of a few minutes. And I felt the smallest bit of shame for ever harboring ill feelings towards poor Zane. If there was any one person on the face of the planet who deserved happiness, it was her. I was truly, deeply happy that she had found someone as incredible as James Walker.

But I sure as hell felt even more restless about Jared Korrick’s inevitable return because damned would I be if I wouldn’t make him confess everything kind James had informed me of!

**Author's Note:**

> [1] Current date: still June 9th.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> I am sorry it took this long for the next part but to make it up, an additional chapter shall be added alongside this one. ^}^


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